Between the Lines
by Mizu Iruka
Summary: AU. It always went wrong on that beach; Rose is forced to watch the metacrisis die at Bad Wolf Bay. She escapes her nightmare through the cracks in time, but she loses herself along the way. Can the Doctor fix her? Eleven/Rose. Amy/Rory. Guest visit by Pete's World!Jack.
1. Chapter 1

**Between the Lines**

* * *

**A/N:** Yet another distraction from the stories I haven't finished yet. This one, however, won't be too long. Probably about . . . mmm, 6 chapters or so? Maybe even as little as 5. We'll see.

It's funny . . . I never think of eleven/Rose as one of my ships, but somehow I've already written two separate things for them. Huh.

* * *

He looked at her, holding her hand as the TARDIS faded. As his-the Doctor's-ship began to disappear, something began to worry at the back of his mind, but he ignored it, focusing on Rose's pain.

But when the TARDIS left, the Doctor-the not Doctor-realized he had made a horrible mistake.

He didn't remember falling, but somehow he was on the sand, screaming.

"Doctor!"

She called him Doctor. Somehow that made it hurt less.

"Rose," he ground out, closing his eyes as the pain hit him again. A terrible pain that crept up into his skull and began to drive him mad.

"What's wrong? What's going on?"

He could vaguely hear Jackie screaming in the background.

"TARDIS . . . was keeping me alive. Time Lord's . . . mind . . . not meant to be in a human body."

"Are you dying?" She was straight to the point, his Rose. Always asking the right questions.

"Yes."

"You're leaving me. Again." Her voice was too bitter, too hurt. He had done this to her, made her tired.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." He pushed the pain away from his mind, leaving it to wreak havoc on his body so that he could concentrate on Rose.

"You always say that," she said sadly.

"I know-gah!"

"How can I help?" Finally her voice broke, and he could hear the love that was killing them both.

He fumbled, reaching deep into his pocket. He pulled it out . . . it was a ring. Glowing slightly.

"I . . . we . . . got this for you long ago. Before the olympics. Wanted to . . . never did. I . . . he, gave this to me." Trembling, he reached out and placed it in Rose's hand.

Rose was crying, but her tears were silent. He drank in the sight of her.

"Find someone else, Rose. Be happy. For me."

She nodded, and he couldn't tell if she was lying or not. Did it matter? For a moment, he lost track of her as his eyes rolled back. He would have to succumb to the pain soon.

"The universe is cruel," Rose whispered.

"We . . . we had a good time, didn't we?" He had to know it wasn't all for nothing.

"We had the best," she murmured. The last thing he saw was her smile.

* * *

"I was wrong."

Rose ran a hand through her hair and twisted around. This world didn't have swiveling chairs, and it was getting on her nerves. "About what, mum?"

"Before. Years ago, the first time I came here, when I said that traveling with the Doctor, you wouldn't be you anymore."

Rose racked her brains. "Oh. You mean that day."

"Rose, you're not you anymore. My Rose, she's . . . gone."

"I suppose so." Rose twisted the pen in her fingers, holding back a sigh.

Her mum hesitated. "You could come visit, you know."

"That's all right."

Finally she left. Rose dropped the pen, burying her head in her hands. The tears, as much as she wanted them to, wouldn't come. They never would.

After the human Doctor had died, Rose had spent three weeks on that beach. Three weeks, digging a tomb and building a makeshift TARDIS out of wood to mark the grave. It was rather sentimental of her, she supposed, though all of the resources had come from Pete.

A month after that, she had left Pete's and found a place of her own, a job of her own. In a shop. Her ultimate goal, she told herself, was to save up so she could travel.

She had considered trying to get the dimension cannon to work, but deep down, she knew it wasn't an option. Not without tearing the universe apart. She had half-heartedly asked Torchwood, but the entire project had been buried.

And Rose was losing herself. She could feel herself draining away, as day after day she hung up clothes and helped people check out. The dark was growing.

Her mum was right . . . Jackie had been wrong before. The Doctor hadn't been turning her into some stranger . . . he had been making her more of herself. Without him, she was becoming nothing.

* * *

"Jack Harkness."

"I got your call. Not exactly subtle." He walked into the light with a swagger. Rose held back in the shadows. This wasn't her Jack, and she would have to be careful to get him to cooperate. "Coincidentally, how did you manage a call through the Time Vortex?"

"I have a history with Time Agents," Rose said softly. "Ever hear of the Dimension Cannon project?"

"Ooh, that was 'bout seven years ago, wasn't it? Never did get involved with that. I'm a rogue, in case you haven't heard."

"Believe me, I know." She stepped into the dim circle of light from the streetlamp. Jack's gaze immediately turned slightly lustful. "Would you believe me if I told you there were parallel universes?"

"S'pose I do. What did you want me for?"

"Need a partner?"

He smirked. "What kind of partner?"

"The kind that keeps you from getting yourself killed."

He gave her a once-over. "Maybe not exactly my type, but you'd do. You still haven't really said. How did you know who I was and to call me?"

"Parallel you."

"Ah." He was intrigued. She could see that much. "So what, you want to tag along for the ride?"

"If there's a way to get back to my universe, it'll be through the Time Vortex. You're my best hope."

"You'd need a Vortex Manipulator."

"Then get me one," she said impatiently.

"All right, no need to snap. You're not a very up person, are you?"

Rose hesitated. "Years ago, I was."

"Well c'mon then, stranger. Maybe some day I can teach you how to smile."

She offered him a bitter one, for that. "One can only hope. If you don't mind, I'd like to get of here rather quickly. I may or may not have broken into Torchwood."

He laughed. "I think I might like you. So what's your name?"

Rose considered. "Bad Wolf."

"That supposed to sound scary?"

"If you're scared, then yes."

Jack gave her another appraising look. "Well then. Come along, Wolf. Let's go hunt some little goats, shall we?"

"Goats?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You call yourself Bad Wolf but don't even know the story of the Three Little Goats?"

"Right. That one," Rose murmured. She reached out, taking Jack's hand. "As I said, we should go."

As he held onto her tightly, programming his Vortex Manipulator, Rose realized she had forgotten to say goodbye to her mum. The dark part of her was too strong for her to do anything about it, and what was left of Rose Tyler was swept away into the Time Vortex.

* * *

"Wolf, if you die, it's not my fault."

"Never said it would be!" she shouted back. "Just pull on that switch!"

"It'll electrocute you!"

"I'll jump!"

"Then you'll die from falling!"

"Do it, or we're all dead!"

The electricity ran through the wires, and Bad Wolf jumped. Three stories was enough to kill her, but if she had aimed right, garbage would break her fall. It barely did.

Jack came running up. "You are the luckiest girl I've ever known."

"No, I'm just that good." Bad Wolf brushed herself off. "So did we fry it?"

"No more alien transmissions from this thing," Jack said, gesturing to the building.

"Good."

"Now, can we steal the money?" Bad Wolf gave Jack a scathing look. He held up his hands in protest to her anger. "We do need to eat and sleep, you know."

She sighed. "All right. Please, let's make this one quick."

"You got it." Jack smiled obligingly, and once more wondered to himself when Bad Wolf had become the boss, and he had become just the companion along for the ride. Not that it was a bad thing. The woman had a propensity for finding trouble and for working herself out of it that Jack had never seen in another human before. They had literally saved worlds, and that was definitely an ego booster. Still didn't pay as much as being a con man had though.

As they walked along the street, Bad Wolf suddenly stopped.

"What is it?"

"Chips. I smell chips."

"And?"

"Forget about it. Let's go."

Jack only shook his head as he followed her. Moments like those, he could almost see some form of a happier girl, but all too quickly she melted away before his eyes.

"We should have some fun."

"Fun?" Bad Wolf turned to him, her lips almost quirking into a smile.

"C'mon." Jack took her hand and dragged her along, searching the darkening streets. "Dancing. It'll be good for you."

"I don't dance," she said stiffly.

"Then I'll teach you," Jack said patiently.

"I didn't say I couldn't, I said I don't."

Jack pursed his lips. "Then you just come along for the ride. I want to dance, and dance I will."

"You sound like Doctor Seuss," she muttered.

"Doctor who?"

Something about what he said made her stiffen. Jack ignored it and pulled her into the club. The music was slow, unfortunately, but he figured it would be easier to get her to dance that way. He pulled her in through the masses of people. Bad Wolf moved haltingly with him, clearly uneasy, her eyes darting around the room as if looking for an escape.

"It's just dancing," he said soothingly.

"Last time we danced, it was next to Big Ben," she mumbled.

There was a story behind that one, but Jack didn't bite. Instead he slipped in closer, invading her personal bubble.

"So, am I the reason you're trying so hard to get back to the parallel universe?"

She stared at him for a full five seconds before laughing-actually laughing. Jack was stunned at the change, and how beautiful it made her. Though it was still tinged with a bitterness that never went away. "Nice try, Jack. But we're just friends."

"Mmm, so it's someone else?" Instantly she was shut off again, the smile locked away.

"I didn't say that."

"Tell me I'm lying."

"It's complicated." Bad Wolf looked away, effectively ending the conversation.

"What am I like, over there?" Jack asked curiously.

Her eyes caught his again, considering him slowly. "Rather similar, I suppose. A little more . . . promiscuous, but a little nicer."

"So which one do you like more?" he smirked.

Bad Wolf shrugged. "I know my Jack better."

If he hadn't just seen her actually smile, it wouldn't have bugged him. "Well, maybe you should be trying to find out more," he said snidely. That stopped her.

"I'm sorry. It's been . . . rough. You've been getting the worst of me."

Normally Jack would've responded with a sarcastic comment, but something about the weariness dripping off her shoulders made him keep his mouth shut and just dance with this strange girl in a club far removed from both of their times.


	2. Chapter 2

She was flying through the Vortex, the location of her physical body unknown, but as it was, she still felt for it. Waiting to find a crack in the wall, to be able to slip through.

Rose had warned Jack that if, on one of their trips, she never arrived at their destination, then that meant she had fallen through. It had yet to happen.

"So you made it." Jack was leaning against a very old building. Rose noticed the relieved expression on his face, and yet again felt a twinge of regret for how callous she was being.

She managed to give him a smile. "Here I am."

"Where'd you send us now, Wolf?" he asked, his voice carefully smooth.

"Parallel universe, there was an invasion of Slitheen on this day. Just being careful."

Rose strode through the streets as if she owned the place. It was a new feeling, being the one in control, the one with knowledge. It was a bit of a high . . . she understood how the Doctor was addicted to it.

"What's the plan?"

"Save the world," Rose responded flippantly.

Blowing up a zeppelin was a lot easier than blowing up Downing Street had been. Unfortunately, she had gotten a deep set of wounds in her arm from an angry Slitheen, and Jack had suffered a pretty serious head wound. All things considered though, they had saved the world again, and they weren't dead.

"Next time we're going to jump, make it lower to the ground," Jack groaned.

"And blow up some houses in the process? My way worked fine."

"Your definition of fine is very different from my own, Bad Wolf."

Rose smirked. "True enough." She limped over and helped him to his feet.

"You still don't have a way to get back through?"

Immediately a wave of exhaustion seemed to sink into her bones, and Rose leaned unsteadily against the wall. "It's hopeless."

"S'pose."

Rose regarded him bitterly. Her Jack would have given her some comfort through a kind word or a hug. A second later, she realized that the Rose she had been wouldn't have given up.

"Well, I've just gotta keep going," she said firmly.

"Your perseverance is inspiring," Jack muttered, holding his head. Rose ignored him.

"How long can you safely travel through the Time Vortex?"

"You mean stay in the Time Vortex? Well it depends, would you like to arrive in your destination in little bitty pieces?" Jack asked sarcastically.

Rose frowned at him. "I'm being serious."

"Tops, maybe fifteen minutes. It'll hurt though. A lot."

"Sounds good. You pick the coordinates."

Jack wanted to go to a planet that apparently had the best drinks this side of the universe. Rose set her Vortex Manipulator so that it would give her fifteen minutes to try and push her way through any crack she could find.

"Be careful, Wolf."

"Thanks, Jack."

She was ripping her way through time, testing the edges. The pain was almost overwhelming, but at one point, she felt it . . . a slight give, and an image flashed through her mind. An enormous eyeball, a girl's bedroom. If she had a little more time, she could rip through and . . .

When she landed, Rose collapsed, and could only hope Jack would be there to make sure she wasn't lying in the middle of a road.

* * *

Relieved, Jack started forward at the sight of Bad Wolf coming through. A second later, and she had fallen over, hitting the ground with a rather sickening crash.

"Wolf!" He got to her, twisting her onto her back. "Wake up."

It took about five minutes before her eyes rolled up to meet his. "Hello, Jack."

"Thought you were dead, there," Jack said, trying to make his voice flippant.

"Pushed a little too hard. But this time . . . a giant eye. Do you know what that is?"

"No idea." He helped her to her feet.

She sighed, pushing back her disheveled blonde hair. "I think it could happen. A couple more jumps and I could rip my way through."

"Is this all worth it?" Jack tried to reason with her.

Her intense expression answered his question. "You can leave if you want."

"No. I'm with you." And he was surprised how true that was. He didn't have any reason to stick with Bad Wolf, but something about how . . . broken she was, made him feel that she shouldn't be alone. For once, he was thinking about someone other than himself. His self-flattery cheered him up enough.

"So we're here for the drinks?" Bad Wolf prompted.

"This way," Jack gestured. His companion was silent, obviously puzzling through how to get to her universe. "So . . ." he hunted for something to talk about. "This universe of yours. Does it have pretty women?"

It was worth it for her expression. He caught glimpse of something sly, as she commented, "oh, so you don't think I'm pretty?"

He full-out grinned. "For all I know, you could be the only one."

She smirked. "There are plenty of women, Jack." Her face suddenly became serious. "Why?"

Jack kept his shrug nonchalant. "Not like there's anything I've got keeping me in this universe. I figure I could stick with you."

She didn't respond, her eyes on the ground.

"If you want," Jack muttered finally.

Bad Wolf considered him slowly. "I guess you could."

"Okay, then. We'll start sticking together through Vortex rides."

"Yeah. Right."

Her lack of enthusiasm was disheartening, but Jack didn't give up hope. As hurt as the girl by his side was, she wasn't dead yet. And that was something.

* * *

Jack was holding her arm tightly. Rose could vaguely feel his grip, even as they whirled through the Vortex. She found it again. A crack. This time, the vision of a strange spaceship floated through her mind. She pressed . . . she landed heavily, as did Jack. They hadn't made it.

Rose cursed in Gallifreyan, getting a strange look from Jack. She didn't spare him another glance, pacing angrily.

"It won't let me through, and there's got to be a way to get through. Jack, is there any way to give these Vortex Manipulators some more juice?"

Jack only shrugged. "Wolf, just calm down."

"I will not calm down!" she snarled at him, "we need more power, and . . . ohhh." A memory hit her, of Jack and her first Doctor.

"Oh?"

"Cardiff."

"Cardiff?"

"Let's go."

They were off again, twisting through time and space until they landed at Cardiff. She strode off as soon as they landed.

"There's a rift here. Has a lot of energy, and stuff. Can you get our Vortex Manipulators to use it?"

Jack sighed. "Yes, I can."

"Well, do it," Rose said expectantly, holding out her wrist. Jack scowled at her.

"What are you in such a hurry for?" he asked, yanking off her Vortex Manipulator.

Rose frowned. "I want to get out of here. Get away from those." She gestured to the zeppelins above her.

Jack hunched over his work. "You're driving yourself mad."

Rose let out a half-laugh. "Yeah, maybe I am."

"You'll get yourself killed."

"I don't care."

His glance was sharp, dangerous. "Don't say that."

"Why not? It's true." Rose folded her arms across her chest. "Don't worry, I won't go committing suicide. I'm over that phase."

"When was this phase?"

Rose stiffened. "A long time ago."

Jack slapped on her Vortex Manipulator. "I don't even know why I follow you."

"Then why do it?" Rose challenged.

He cast her a sidelong glance. "I'm not gonna leave until I get you to smile."

Rose curved her lips upward for his sake. "Good enough?"

Jack shook his head sadly. "Not even close."

* * *

Jack recognized where they were after landing. From the looks of the bunker, this was World War II. He had done some con work in their universe during this time.

"We made it!" For once, Bad Wolf seemed to show a bit of positive feeling. It disappeared in a second. "That's where we came through."

Jack turned to see a glowing crack in a wall. "Huh."

"Let's go find out if he's been here."

"Who?"

Bad Wolf considered him. "The Doctor."

"What doctor?" Jack asked.

"It's just the Doctor."

"Wonderful. You two in a club or something with weird names?" Jack groaned.

"Sure." Bad Wolf strode off. "Oi, who's in charge around here!"

"Oh, great, just introduce to the world that we're here. What if they think we're Nazi's? Wolf!"

She marched up to a man and spun him around. "Who are you?" she asked.

"Winston Churchill," the man said, sounding offended. "Who are you, and how . . ." he looked her up and down. "Wait, are you with the Doctor?"

Bad Wolf tensed. "Was he here?"

"Just left, matter-of-fact. So you didn't come with him?"

"No." Bad Wolf glanced around. "What did he do?"

"Stopped some aliens called Daleks."

Bad Wolf paled, and Jack resisted reaching out to hold her hand. "Are you lying?"

"No."

"Fantastic," she muttered. She was standing, deep in thought, and Winston Churchill watched her incredulously. "All right, Jack. We're out of here."

Winston Churchill protested. "Wait. You can't just leave without . . ."

Bad Wolf shot him a look. "You may be one of the most important men in history, and at one point in my life, I would've liked to talk to you, but right now, I've got other issues to face."

She swept away with impressive bravado, grabbing onto Jack's arm and programing both of their Vortex Manipulators. They were gone in an instant.

"Where'd you take us?" Jack said as they landed.

"London."

"Ooh, so exciting." Jack rolled his eyes.

"We're in the right universe now. Look up."

Jack glanced at the sky, the lack of zeppelins somewhat freeing. "Huh. Though it's probably harder to get around."

"A bit."

Bad Wolf ran a hand through her blonde hair.

"You have a plan?" Jack dared to ask.

"Do I ever?" Her voice was bitter.

"So, you're trying to get back to this guy, and you go to London." Jack considered. "Does he live here? No, wait, he has to have a Vortex Manipulator to have just been there. Really, Wolf, what are you doing here?"

"I don't know!" she snarled at him. "Maybe I came off too confident or something, because you don't know me at all. I wanted to get out of that universe, and I did. I don't know if I'll go back to the Doctor . . . for all I know he could be hundreds of years older. Maybe he's forgotten the girl he left behind. So if you'll just shut up, then maybe I can figure out what to do!"

She snapped her mouth closed and stalked away. A second later, Jack became aware that she was walking blindly into a street. And a car was headed for her.

Jack Harkness had never thought himself a hero. In fact, he was a well known coward. But he became a hero, for the first and last time in his life. He shoved Bad Wolf out of the way, and the pain followed immediately after.

Through the haze, he could hear Bad Wolf screaming out his name. He just hoped someday she would be able to smile again.

* * *

** A/N:** Because I'm evil. No, really. I am. How else could I have written this?

If you think Rose is acting OOC, then you'd be right. My goal here is to show a Rose that has become very very bitter. Thus the rather dark overtones/hints at suicide. I just figure everyone has their breaking point . . . and Rose has hit hers.


	3. Chapter 3

Dully, Rose watched Jack's body being taken away. Now she was a murderer. Of course, she had been before, when she was Bad Wolf and had massacred the Daleks . . . but this . . . She choked back a dry sob and turned away, pushing through the crowd of people. It was suffocating her. She had to get out. Rose threw herself into the Vortex, hunting for a crack. It nearly killed her, but finally she was thrown out . . . into a forest. She looked around. Definitely creepy.

"Doctor," she whispered. Well, at least that question was answered. Rose didn't know why, but she was still looking for him. If only to slap him for leaving her.

It was giving her an eery feeling, as if she was trapped somehow. Rose noticed the crack behind her was opening, getting larger.

"Brilliant," she muttered to herself. She turned a second later to see a statue of an angel with its hand outstretched, face in a dreadful snarl. Rose jumped. That hadn't been there. "That's creepy. That's . . . unnecessarily creepy," she said to it. "Who put you there?"

She blinked, and its hand was on her arm. Rose let out an undignified shriek. She stared at it, wide-eyed.

"So you're alive. But . . . why wouldn't you move before?" She wrenched her arm out of its grasp, keeping her eyes focused on it. "I blinked. So if I don't look at you, you try and kill me?"

Rose noticed a man walking towards them.

"Hey! Mate!"

He seemed dazed, focused on the crack growing behind her.

"What's wrong with you? Where am I?"

He was right next to her, and Rose kept her eye on the angel statue and him at the same time.

"What are you . . ."

He stepped up to the crack and the light consumed him.

"Oh," Rose whispered. Her eyes were watering, and she carefully closed them one at a time.

The light reached out, past Rose, and consumed the angel beside her. Rose stumbled away, terrified it would get her. She ran, and another man passed her. He was a soldier like the other.

"What's going on?" she asked desperately, but just like the other, he ignored her and headed for the light. They seemed to be coming from somewhere, and Rose headed in that direction, eyes peeled for statues or other people.

She saw a girl, sitting on a log. For some reason, her eyes were tightly closed and she was clutching a walkie talkie. Rose was about to call out, but then a voice came through.

"Amy? Amy? Is that you?"

The girl said the magic word. "Doctor?"

Rose held her breath. The Doctor's voice was different. That meant he had regenerated. Unless this was before. She wasn't really sure how to wrap her head around it.

The Doctor told the girl to head towards him. Rose hesitated. She could try and talk to the girl, or just follow and see what was going on.

She heard a noise behind her, and whirled to see a statue reaching out for her.

Desperately, Rose backed up into the tree, keeping her eye on it. She couldn't follow this Amy if she had to keep an eye on this.

"Not this time, Doctor," Rose murmured. The Time Vortex pulled her away.

* * *

Rose spent the night in an abandoned house. She didn't even know what year it was, but the house also had creepy angel statues. Rose locked the door, and they left her alone. There was something about her that this universe couldn't get a hold on . . . at least the crack of light and the angels couldn't.

Maybe traveling through the cracks made her immune. Rose sat up and stretched. From the looks of it though, the angels could possibly choke her to death, so she had to get out of the house quickly. She programmed her Vortex Manipulator for a harmless location, just so she could search for a crack.

As she was spiraling through the Vortex, Rose found another opening. She landed and found herself underground.

"Huh." She looked to her left and gasped. It was the TARDIS.

"Oh, aren't you a sight for sore eyes. But you look different," she murmured. The Doctor was nowhere in sight. Rose frowned, glancing back down at the crack. It was growing again.

"Toxic fumigation is about to commence. Immediate evacuation."

Rose debated in her mind. She could either try and find the Doctor, who could be in trouble, or hide in the TARDIS.

There was shouting, and she hid behind the TARDIS, as she didn't have enough time to get her key out.

"No questions, just get in. And yes, I know, it's big. Ambrose, sickbay up the stairs, left, then left again, Get yourself fixed up. Come on. Five minutes and counting. Not here."

Rose couldn't help herself. She peeked around the corner of the TARDIS to find the Doctor staring at the crack.

"Not now. It's getting wider."

She could only see his back. His hair was definitely longer than last time, and she was pretty sure he was shorter. And the pinstripes were gone, unfortunately.

"The crack on my bedroom wall." It was Amy, the girl from the forest. Rose was tempted to walk out, but she had to figure out what was going on first. The Doctor might panic if she was present. Also there was another man. For a moment, Rose doubted herself . . . maybe he was the Doctor?

"And the Byzantium. All through the universe, rips in the continuum. Some sort of space-time cataclysm. An explosion, maybe. Big enough to put cracks in the universe. But what?"

That question was answered. The long-haired one was definitely the Doctor. Well, he still had a gob.

"Four minutes fifty. We have to go," Amy pleaded.

"The angels laughed when I didn't know. Prisoner Zero knew. Everybody knows except me."

He was actually whining. Something deep inside of Rose made her realize that through all of this, she still missed her Doctor. A moment later, the anger and apathy clouded it, and Rose was left once more feeling abandoned and alone, as she had the past . . . was it eight years?

The Doctor was reaching into the crack. Rose noticed a bit of movement and saw a lizard-person crawling in.

It happened so fast. The creature was pointing a gun at the Doctor, and the other man pushed him out of the way.

"Rory!" Amy shrieked, and Rose knew his name. She also knew that he was dying, despite what the girl may have hoped.

"Amy, move away from the light. If it touches you, you'll be wiped from history. Amy, move away, now."

So that was what the light did. And if the cracks were growing . . . Rose made her decision. She frantically searched her pockets until she found her pen. The Doctor was concentrating on Amy, so she was unseen as she scribbled on the side of the TARDIS. Just in case the light took her and she wasn't able to follow Rory, the Doctor would know she had been there.

The Doctor and Amy were inside the TARDIS. Rose stumbled over to Rory to see the light had almost taken him.

"Let's figure this out together, stranger," she muttered aloud. She could see the TARDIS dematerializing and grabbed Rory's hand. The light shied away from her, but still pulled Rory in. Rose held on for her life as everything grew bright, and Time swept the two of them away.

* * *

Rory woke up. That was unexpected. He had thought he was dead.

"In case you didn't realize, you aren't dead."

He nearly gave himself whiplash, twisting to find a girl sitting beside him, regarding him silently.

"Who are you? How am I alive? Where . . . ?"

"Shh." She sounded annoyed. "I'll tell you, just settle down. Well, important things first . . . you aren't in your own body."

"What?" Rory gasped.

She shrugged. "Time was swallowing you whole, every bit of your past and who you are. I was only able to salvage you. You as in . . ." She gestured to his head. "The essence of you, I guess. Got you this body through some rather complicated deals."

"That was nice of you," Rory said uncertainly. He glanced around. "We're in a tent."

"We're with a Roman . . . legion. I think that's what they're called. There's something big going on out there, something with the Doctor."

Rory sat up. "Oh, so you're with him? Then where's Amy?"

The girl smirked and stood. "Oh, I'm not with him. Nor Amy. He left you for dead, but I've got a special power, because I'm not from this universe."

Rory groaned. "You're as bad as him, you're making no sense at all."

She tilted her head. "S'pose so. Growing up does that."

He considered her. "How old are you?"

She laughed, and it was bitter. Rory didn't know why, but he wished it wasn't. "I'm not certain. Time Travel plays havoc with birthdays. Put me somewhere in the early thirties. Well, if you're nice, make it late-twenties."

"My head hurts."

"Traveling through the cracks does that," she said knowledgeably.

"Who are you?"

She hesitated. "Name's Bad Wolf."

"Bad Wolf? What kind of a name is that?" Rory said irritably. He had just died, and this girl was making fun of him.

"It's a name that could save my life," she murmured. Bad Wolf's eyes snapped back onto his own. "Right, so I really have no idea what's going to happen. Way I figure it, those cracks the TARDIS keeps leaving behind are eventually gonna mess everything. Doctor will probably fix it all up, but with my luck he'll leave me out of the equation, because I'm not supposed to be here. So. I'm going to go back to traversing the universe, you work on finding the Doctor."

"Huh?"

Bad Wolf sighed. "Just stick with this legion, find the Doctor, don't tell him about me. You got that? Say you've woken up as a Roman Centurion, and everything else is fuzzy. I'll check in later, if it's possible. When this is all over, look for a bit of graffiti on the TARDIS and show the Doctor."

"I can handle that. But how will he recognize me?"

She laughed, and it was almost a true laugh. It made a smile come to Rory's own face, even though she was laughing at his expense. "You still look like you. You're just . . . a little different. Don't worry, you'll figure it out. I had to do some good threatening to get this to work out."

"Threatening?"

"Gymnastics," she said blithely. Rory just stared at her.

"Have a fantastic life, Rory." Bad Wolf gave him a lopsided grin. She held his gaze, and as he watched she disappeared.

* * *

Rose had lied to Rory, a little bit. She didn't actually leave, just went further in time. Mostly she hid in the shadows, learning all she could about the box under Stonehenge and keeping Rory out of trouble without his knowledge.

She never interfered. She saw the Doctor a couple times. Saw another woman who was called River, and acted a little too close to the Doctor for her comfort. Not that she was jealous. Saw Amy again, who had no memory of Rory.

The events took place. She had known about the Alliance-she had convinced the Nestene consciousness to give Rory a body, because it forwarded their plans to stop the TARDIS from exploding. If she was being honest, Rose was totally lost in what was going on. Her plan was to stick with the Alliance, possibly double-cross them if necessary. All she knew was that everything she had been taught to despise were now her allies. Daleks, Cybermen . . . and a couple new faces. None of them were particularly fond of her.

But now . . . Rory was going to watch the Pandorica for all of time until the right moment came and the Doctor returned.

It was brave of him. Doing it for love. Rose had a passing thought that once she might have done the same thing for the Doctor. Now, though . . . The dark part of her laughed. That girl was gone.

She programmed her Vortex Manipulator and jumped carefully, avoiding cracks. Twenty years.

"How's it going, Centurion?"

Rory whirled, his sword at the ready.

"Easy, there."

"Oh. You. Bad Wolf."

Rose threw him a grin. "The one and only."

"What are you doing here?" Rory settled back down in his chair.

"Well, I figured you'd be bored. I overheard. You're hanging out with this old thing for a long time, apparently." Rose leaned against the Pandorica.

"You gonna stay with me thousands of years?"

Rose gave him a sad look. "I'm sorry, Rory. You don't age, but I do. I would die long before I could spend a quarter of that time with you. But I will help whenever possible. In fact, I can even cheat."

"Cheat? And speaking of the non-aging thing, you could've told me that I had guns in my hands," Rory said irritably.

"Yeah, sorry about that. And I can cheat by going ahead in time, and you'll tell me when I need to show up, because you'll remember me showing up."

"That doesn't even make sense," Rory groaned.

Rose shrugged. "I think that's how it will work, anyway. If it doesn't, then I'll just pop in every now and then to help if I can."

"To be honest, the worst part of this is getting bored. I mean, there's only so many times you can play Solitaire. I'm having trouble not going insane," Rory confessed.

Rose bit her lip. "See, there are ways I could get you some tech that will erase your memory, but that could endanger the box."

"Amy."

"What?"

"It's not just a box. Amy's in there."

"Right, sorry." Rose rolled her eyes.

"What, you've never been in love? I'd do anything for her."

Rose let out a short bark of laughter. "Oh, love. It's so sweet."

"Ah. Bad break up."

Rose snapped at him, "you don't know anything."

"The Big Bad Wolf doesn't like to talk about personal issues. I gotcha." Rory crossed his arms across his chest.

Rose was quick to change the subject. "Why are you still wearing that?"

Rory shrugged. "It works."

Rose went back to their initial conversation. "I think I can help you, with the boredom, I mean. I've had psychic training, and with conditioning, you can lock away memories. Now, I'm gonna go close to the end of your wait, and check when I show up. Then I'll come back and teach you."

"All right. Be careful, Wolf."

Rose offered him the ghost of a smile. "You too."

* * *

** A/N:** Gotta say, I'm a teensy bit proud of how I stuck Rose in the middle of the business with the cracks. I mean, am I out of line? Has someone done this before? Because if so, I haven't read it. So let me be proud in peace.

Also, you guys write the sweetest reviews. I love you. 3


	4. Chapter 4

It had been a long time.

Rory had become good friends with Bad Wolf. She always came when he needed her, and it was nice to have someone to rely on, especially when Amy was in trouble. And also, someone to talk to. She had incredible stories, though she clammed up about any recent history. Apparently, Bad Wolf was once a companion of the Doctor. The two of them had had fantastic adventures.

Rory had never been Mr. Sensitive. He tried as hard as possible to get Bad Wolf to open up, but there was far too much pain in the girl. She was broken, and he really didn't know if she would ever heal. Despite the fact that he spent a large amount of time with her, he could never get past her outward sardonic cover.

"So this is one of the times I show up and you do not need to panic."

Rory didn't flinch as he'd had once, just turned to see Bad Wolf stretching lazily.

"Just a friendly hello, then?"

"The TARDIS. There's something on the side," she said.

"The TARDIS. There's something on the side," Rory repeated dutifully.

Bad Wolf's face was an easy half-smile that lacked any warmth. "Bet you're sick of saying that."

"Oh, it's only the thousandth time." Rory sat down on his chair and gestured for Bad Wolf to relax on hers. "Where'd you just come from?"

"Actually took a break to get some sleep. Before that, I think I was in the . . . hmm, well, it was an alien attack. Have you been attacked by aliens yet?"

"Nope."

"Ah, well, then future." Bad Wolf shook her head and began tying her long blonde hair back.

"How often do you rest?" Rory asked curiously. She still looked weary.

Bad Wolf shrugged. "Whenever I'm close to collapsing, I guess."

Rory frowned. "That isn't healthy."

"Oi, stop being a nurse, Rory. It's necessary."

Rory rolled his eyes. "And you'll be so helpful if you die."

"Speaking of helpful." Bad Wolf pulled off her pack. "Here, you need some new clothes."

"But I like being a Roman," Rory complained.

"Well, if you wear those long enough you'll be a naked Roman. I got you Roman-y clothes, stop blubbering. Just a quick trip back to the Roman Empire . . . it was pretty fun, actually, wish I could've taken you along." Bad Wolf tossed him a new set of clothes and Rory grinned.

"Thanks, Wolf."

"No problem. Though pretty soon you'll have to switch to more modern wear, or you'll be locked away in a looney-bin."

"I know," Rory sighed.

"Actually, pretty soon this thing will be carried off to a museum. Don't fight them."

"S'pose that would be safer."

"Yup." Bad Wolf popped her gum. "It won't be that much longer, you know."

"Really?"

"Couple more rough patches, couple hundred years."

Rory full out grinned. "Best news I've heard for a while."

"Psychic barriers holding up?"  
"Yeah."

Bad Wolf glanced at her wrist. "I better go."

"See you soon," Rory smiled.

"The TARDIS. There's something on the side," Bad Wolf said solemnly.

"The TARDIS. There's something on the side."

* * *

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS dramatically. He liked crashing parties, and weddings were more fun. Amy had saved him. He had known she would.

"Oi! Where are you off to? We haven't even had a snog in the shrubbery yet!"

The Doctor smiled at Amy's voice, turning from the TARDIS to face the newlyweds. He should've known they would've figured out he was going to leave.

"Amy!" Rory protested.

"Shut up, it's my wedding."

"Our wedding," Rory whined.

"Sorry, you two. Shouldn't've slipped away. Bit busy, you know?"

"You just saved the whole of space and time? Take the evening off. Maybe a bit of tomorrow," Rory said practically.

"Space and time isn't safe yet, the TARDIS . . ."

"Wait!" Rory shouted.

The Doctor was shocked. "What? What's wrong?"

Rory was clutching his head. "The TARDIS. There's something on the side."

"What on earth are you talking about?" he said.

"It's something I remember. I just . . . I think it's important. The TARDIS. There's something on the side."

"Right." The Doctor paced around. "I don't see anything."

"There's something on the side," Rory repeated. He began to circle the TARDIS, and the Doctor followed him. "There," Rory whispered, pointing at two words that made the Doctor's hearts stop. In ink, scribbled down messily: Bad Wolf.

"Whoa." The Doctor spun to see Rose Tyler straightening up. "Head rush."

"Wh-what?" he managed to choke out. Rose ignored him and focused on Rory.

"Hello, Centurion. So glad that worked, or I would have been stuck in that Time Energy stuff forever. I appreciate you getting me out."

The Doctor wordlessly mouthed at her. She finally turned to him.

"So I take it this regeneration has problems with words? When I saw you those other times, that wasn't an issue." Rose was now taking her jacket off. The Doctor saw some scars on her arms and winced. He re-focused.

"Rose?"

She didn't even react. "Not anymore."

"Not anymore," the Doctor repeated faintly.

"Go by Bad Wolf now. That name has a lot more power than Rose Tyler ever did."

"What are you doing here? How did you get here? When did you get here? Why . . ."

Rose strode up to him and slapped him across the cheek, sending the Doctor reeling. Amy giggled.

"And what was that for?"

"Oh, for quite a few things. And Rory will remember enough to answer your questions. So I'm going to leave now."

"Wolf, you can't leave like that. I'm just starting to remember, and I don't want you to leave," Rory protested.

Rose waved him off. "Go have your wedding night, Rory." Blushing, Rory took a hold of Amy and the two went into the TARDIS.

The Doctor finally noticed she was wearing a Vortex Manipulator. Rose reached over to program it and he seized her wrist, yanking it off.

"Oi!" she yelped.

"Rose Tyler, I want answers, now."

She scowled at him. "I want a bath."

"What?"

"Talk later. Right now, I want a bath." She whirled, striding into the TARDIS without another look at the three of them.

The Doctor stared after her. It had been years since he had last seen Rose Tyler, and that was when he was regenerating. How did she even know him in this body? And she seemed to have some connection to Rory as well. Was it really Rose?

The questions were overwhelming him. Shell-shocked, the Doctor wandered into the TARDIS.

For once, the Doctor didn't understand. He didn't know what to do.

* * *

The second she got into the bathroom, Rose doubled over, almost gasping. Her hands were trembling. It had taken all her willpower and her resentment from the past years to keep her going through that conversation. To act casual, to act unfeeling.

Rose had kept her feelings at bay for years, and to have them flooding back when she saw him . . .

No. She had to stay calm. Leave as soon as possible. Rose took a quick bath and dressed. She had to confront the Doctor sometime, better sooner than later.

Confident. She had to be confident.

Rose saw the Doctor leaning against the console, weary.

She tried to clear her throat, but it came out as a squeak.

"Rose."

She steeled herself. "It's Bad Wolf."

"But . . ."

"Doctor. I'm Bad Wolf."

He waved his hand irritably. "Fine. Bad Wolf. You are going to start from the beginning and tell me what happened."

"That's a long story."

"Well then sit." The Doctor wasn't necessarily commanding, just solemn and tired.

Rose approached the console tentatively. "The TARDIS looks different."

"Yes, had a sort of makeover."

Rose gave a non-committal grunt. "Kind of prefer the old one."

The Doctor shrugged. "Please, don't stall. Just tell me."

Rose flopped down on one of the chairs. "You stuck me on that universe. I got into this one through those cracks. They kept following you, so I did as well. Actually, that's about was shorter than I thought." She offered a half-hearted grin.

The Doctor didn't smile. "Rose." She gave him a look. "Bad Wolf. You used to tell me everything. What happened to me? I mean the other me, the copy."

"Died."

He approached her, holding out his hand. Rose considered it, and then ignored it. "How?"

"Dunno," she said flippantly. "We didn't get along too well. Split up." The ring was heavy, around her neck with her TARDIS key.

She almost took back her lie at the way his face fell. This Doctor was young-looking, but when he looked sad, he looked every bit his age. "Rose, what happened to you?" he whispered.

She didn't dare contradict his use of her name. "Guess it's like in Peter Pan. I'm Wendy. I couldn't be a kid forever."

"What happened to you?" he asked again.

Rose looked at the TARDIS, remembering the light and the song. "I think somewhere along the way, Rose Tyler disappeared, and I'm what's left. I'm an echo. Or a shadow."

His hand touched hers. "I thought . . . I thought you would be happy. Having a fantastic life."

"Life isn't that nice, when it comes down to it." Rose was concentrating on not hyperventilating, and her voice came out sounding weak. "It's pretty mean."

"Can't you tell me everything? We used to be able to talk about anything."

Rose caved. "I . . . I can try."

"That's all I ask."

They walked side by side down the corridors. The Doctor opened a door, and Rose saw her room. It wasn't just her room. It was her room exactly as she had left it.

For the first time in almost a decade, Rose felt tears run down her cheeks.

"I didn't move anything," the Doctor said unnecessarily.

"I noticed," Rose choked out. She swiped at her tears. "Stupid . . . sentimental."

"Not that stupid." The Doctor's arm was around her shoulders, and for a second Rose was about to let him hug her . . . but then she stepped away. He led her to the bed and the two of them sat down. "Why couldn't you live in the other universe?"

Rose ran a tired hand through her hair. "It wasn't my home, I didn't have anyone, and I was bored. What was there to keep me?"

"Your mum?"

"She's fine without me. Better, probably, since I was keeping her up all the time when I was . . ." Rose trailed off. "She's with Pete."

"But your own mother, you just left her?" the Doctor said incredulously.

"You don't get any say in this!" Rose snapped. "Leaving people is what you do, remember?"

The Doctor, with his new sad face, looked away. "You should get some sleep."

"I don't sleep much."

* * *

** A/N:** Only two more chapters! Thanks for sticking with me guys, and also thanks for the wonderful reviews. :)


	5. Chapter 5

The Doctor once had dreams of Rose returning. Skipping into the TARDIS with his double, hooked onto his arm with a child or two in tow. And she would smile at him, and tell him what a marvelous life she was having. Possibly he would have been a little jealous, but it would mostly fill him with happy feelings and satisfaction.

This . . . this was not a dream, it was a nightmare. Rose was broken, and he didn't know how to fix her.

"How did you get a Vortex Manipulator?"

"It's a long story."

"It doesn't matter."

Rose sighed. "I got Jack to get me one."

The Doctor looked startled. "You mean the Jack in that universe?"

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, I'm just surprised he still ended up a Time Agent."

"More like successful con man, actually," Rose said.

"Really!" The Doctor was impressed. "So he didn't come through with you?"

Rose stiffened. "He did."

"And where is he?" the Doctor prompted.

"He's dead."

"Well." The Doctor sat back against Rose's pillows. He hoped she wouldn't notice how the sheets probably smelled like him. "How'd it happen?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"It will be better if you do." The Doctor placed his hand on top of hers. Rose flinched.

"No, it really won't."

The Doctor tried a different tactic. "Remember Raxacoricofallipatorius?"

He got a glimmer of a smile from her. "Of course."

"Want to visit?"

"Not everything can be fixed by going on a trip, Doctor."

He gave up. "So what about Rory? What happened there?"

Rose smirked. "That's a long story as well. I think I'll save it to share with Amy and Rory."

"Right!" The Doctor sat up and swung his long legs off the bed. "I need to go check up on the TARDIS, you get some sleep, and we'll talk in the morning."

"All right, Doctor."

He turned at the door. "I've missed you, Rose."

"That's not my name. And you don't have to lie, Doctor."

"I'm not-"

"Just go."

"No!" The Doctor surprised himself with a burst of true anger. It had been a long time since he had felt such rage inside. Normally it was bottled deep down, especially in this regeneration.

Rose looked shocked as well.

"See, I hide away, and hurt by myself. But you always kept me from that, when you were with me. And you . . . you can't. You can't do this. You were the strong one, Rose, the one who kept everything right. Now . . . don't do this to me."

She was breathing heavily and refusing to look at him. "I'm sorry for your loss, Doctor. But Rose Tyler is dead."

"I refuse to believe that. I went through a lot myself with Gallifrey. And you made me better."

The blood drained from Rose's face at those words. "Get away from me."

The Doctor left without another word.

* * *

"All right, this newly-wed wants answers. What's on the side of the TARDIS?" Amy stormed into the kitchen the following morning, a bashful Rory in tow.

"Morning, Ponds."

"Williams," Rory muttered.

The Doctor scoffed, and someone snorted.

"What!" Rory whirled. "Wolf!"

"Hello, Rory. Someone got distracted last night and forgot that I arrived again." The girl sipped at her tea. Amy turned a flabbergasted gaze on Rory.

"Who is she?" she asked, somewhat jealously.

"She . . . she's Bad Wolf. She helped me while I was watching you." Rory had his full out grin. "C'mere, you."

The blonde girl gave Rory a perfunctory hug before returning to her tea.

"I'm confused. Who are you?" Amy asked again, exasperated.

"Former companion, time traveller from another universe. That about covers it," she said. Amy rolled her eyes.

"That helps so much," she said.

Bad Wolf eyed her with disdain. "I see standards have gone down."

"Hey!"

"Girls, girls." Rory stepped between them. "Just . . . stop fighting."

"I'm out of here anyway," Bad Wolf said. She turned to the Doctor, who had been staying quiet through the whole thing. "Where's my Manipulator?"

The Doctor had his avoiding-the-issue face on. "Dunno. Lost it."

"Doctor." The woman's voice was dangerous. "Give it back."

"No."

She stood, and despite herself Amy felt the power Bad Wolf held.

"You're too dangerous, and it would be wrong of me to let you loose on the world," the Doctor said.

Bad Wolf sucked in a deep breath, and Amy could feel the other woman's rage. Some part of her wanted to relate to what was going on, but the rest of her was just annoyed at the TARDIS being invaded by a strange woman without her permission.

"Let me loose?" the woman snarled, "how dare you. You're one to talk, the victorious Time Lord who tore apart worlds, before and after Canary Wharf. I've been helping. I've saved hundreds of people and aliens, and you just . . ." Bad Wolf was gripping the counter, and Amy could see her knuckles going white.

"Rose." Bad Wolf shot him a look. The Doctor sighed, casting a quick glance towards Amy and Rory. It told her nothing. "Rose Tyler wouldn't leave, not like this."

"Who's Ro-?" Rory tried to interrupt, but the two went on with their conversation without acknowledging him.

"No, but the Doctor would."

"So we reach the heart of it. I'm sorry I left you, but I thought it was best, and . . ."

"Oh, because you know everything?" Bad Wolf's voice rose.

"Look, you two, you really need to calm down," Rory said desperately, trying to stop them. Bad Wolf's eyes latched onto Rory's, and Amy felt an inexplicable surge of fear for her husband and stepped up beside him, weaving her fingers through his.

As Amy watched, Bad Wolf's eyes went down to their interlinked hands, and the fight seemed to drain away. The girl before them seemed at once a lost young child and a desperate old woman.

"I'll just go," she murmured.

"No. You won't." The Doctor put a hand on Bad Wolf's shoulder. "I won't let you leave until you can smile again."

Amy saw a bitter one flit across the woman's face. "Good luck with that. Last one who said that got hit by a car."

The Doctor winced. "Who?"

"Jack." Bad Wolf picked at her fingernails. "You'd be proud. I turned him into quite the hero before he died for me."

The Doctor let out a ragged breath. "Oh."

"Look, not that this isn't fun, but really, I am completely lost," Amy broke in, "so you used to be a companion but left, and this Jack person left with you?"

Bad Wolf's face was dark. "I didn't leave."

Amy raised her hands in exasperation. "Well, you haven't been here, so I'm assuming you did."

"Don't make assumptions," the woman said bitterly, "or you'll be the one left behind some day."

* * *

The TARDIS was unhappy, and Rose knew she was the poison, but the Doctor refused to let her leave. The minuscule part of her that still knew how to hope wanted to say it was because he cared about her, but really Rose knew it all stemmed from guilt. He wanted to "fix" her. Thankfully he wasn't pushing her to explain everything anymore, after she had described the basics to Amy and Rory.

"So where'd you get those scars?"

Rose whirled to find the girl, Amy, regarding her curiously. She sighed. "Why do you care?"

"I don't. But I'm bored."

"At least you're honest." Rose looked down at her arm. "It was back in the parallel universe. Ever heard of the Slitheen?"

"No."

"Yeah, cuz the Doctor and I blew them up over here. Well, it was mostly the Doctor, but I was with him at the time. I didn't have him to help on the other universe, and wounds are just a part of that."

"Even those wounds?" Amy pointed to Rose's wrist.

Rose fixed her with a fierce glare. "Don't you dare mention these to the Doctor."

"Wouldn't dream of it. But I bet he's noticed."

Rose let out a bark of laughter. "The Doctor notices what he wants to notice. That's how he doesn't go insane."

"You know, at times you remind me of River, but at least she has fun sometimes," Amy muttered.

Rose tilted her head at Amy. "I saw River when I was watching the Pandorica open and such, but I never really met her. Who is she?"

Amy shrugged. "No one really knows, I guess. She's a time traveller, and knows the Doctor from before, even when he doesn't."

"Mmm." Rose couldn't help feeling a twinge of what might be considered jealousy.

"Wolf, what are you doing?"

Rose turned to Rory. "Talking with your wife."

"Mmm. I like that word. You're my wife." Rory snuck an arm around Amy's waist.

"You know, you are all he would talk about," Rose said to Amy, "it got really old after a while."

Amy's expression became gentler than Rose had seen it. "I'm just glad you're alive," she murmured to him.

"So am I," the Doctor interjected. He had come in without any of them realizing it.

"May . . ." Rose began.

"No."

She scowled at him, he just smiled.

"So! I thought maybe we could go somewhere fun, eh?" the Doctor said enthusiastically.

"Or maybe you could give me back my Vortex Manipulator," Rose growled.

"Nope."

Rose noted with surprise that he didn't make that popping sound with the "p" anymore. It shouldn't have surprised her, and she shook herself mentally.

"How 'bout Raxacoricofallipatorius?"

Rose shot the Doctor a look. Had he overheard their conversation? "What made you think of that planet?" she asked suspiciously.

The Doctor shrugged. "I told you before. And I like saying it. Last time we didn't give it a decent look, we just dropped off Margaret and headed out. It's actually a beautiful planet, just has some unpleasant inhabitants. We should check out the beaches."

Rose tried and failed to imagine one of the Slitheen in a bathing suit.

"I'll go get our swimsuits, Amy," Rory said.

"Thanks," she returned.

"I don't have one," Rose muttered.

"When have you become a doubter of the TARDIS? Go on, go pick one out," the Doctor grinned.

Rose reluctantly did, keeping it a conservative one-piece. They all stepped out of the TARDIS in a group, and the heat was overwhelming.

"Whoa. Last time it wasn't a sauna," Rose panted.

"Last time it was winter."

Rory and Amy skipped away together, and Rose was left alone with the Doctor.

He held out his hand, wiggling his fingers like so long ago.

"Come along then, Rose."

She took his hand slowly, trying to ignore how right it felt.

* * *

** A/N:** One more left!


	6. Chapter 6

The Doctor tried his hardest to keep his eyes from wandering towards Rose. It had been a long time since he last saw her, but even so, he couldn't help the feelings he had once had for her coming back, stronger than ever.

He caught sight of the scars on her arm once again.

"Care to explain those?" he asked.

Rose gave him a tired look. "Slitheen, Pete's world. Had to take out a zeppelin full of 'em. Got it done, just got hit in the process."

He reached out, tracing his fingers over the jagged white lines. "I wish I had been there."

She shrugged, seeming irritated. "We handled it fine."

"Course you did," he said soothingly.

"What's the plan now, Doctor?" Rose asked him bluntly. "What do you want from me?"

"I want you to be Rose again," the Doctor answered honestly, for once.

"And what if that's not possible?"

"Impossible things have happened before. Don't you remember the dimension cannon?"

Rose's face was frozen in a stiff mask. "I remember all too well," she growled.

"I didn't want to leave you," the Doctor pleaded with her. "I just thought I was doing what was best."

"You just tend to choose options that are best for you," Rose said coldly. She stood, walking down to the water without a backward glance.

"I take it you guys have a troubled history."

The Doctor didn't take his eyes off of Rose to acknowledge Rory. "It wasn't troubled. At least, I didn't know it was until now."

"Then you need to rethink your definition of troubled." Rory sat down, his eyes also trained on Rose and Amy as they swam.

"What was she like? When she was with you?" the Doctor asked softly.

Rory considered. "Intense," he decided. "Still fun, at times. More than she is now, around you, but there was always something dark underneath. I got the feeling that if she wanted something, nothing would stop her from getting it."

The Doctor buried his face in his hands. "How do I reach her?" he mumbled, mostly to himself, but Rory still answered.

"I'm with you, Doctor. I want to see her fixed."  
"Is it possible?" the Doctor whispered.

"Dunno."

"Thanks for the support," the Doctor said drily.

"You're welcome."

The Doctor started up, seeing Rose arguing with an inhabitant of Raxicoricofallipatorius.

Rory voiced his thoughts. "Uh oh."

Just another run for their lives scenario. The usual. Except Rose wasn't smiling.

* * *

Rory watched from a distance as Wolf scrubbed her hands wearily across her face. The safe thing to do would be to leave her alone. But Rory Williams was not a coward.

"So, this whole thing you have with the Doctor . . ."

Bad Wolf gave him a sharp look. "I don't have a thing with him."

"You're a bad liar." He ignored her scowl. "I'm just saying, you should try to loosen up. You're on edge all the time, and trust me, I can tell."

Her face softened into something like sorrow. "But if I do, then I'll fall apart."

"If you do, then we'll be here to pick up the pieces," Rory promised.

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "Yeah?"

"Yeah."

There was a comfortable silence, and then Bad Wolf sighed. "Guess we'll start small, then. Call me Rose."

"Rose," Rory repeated. "I like it."

"Thanks."

She was silent a moment longer, and then she stood. "I can do this."

"Do what?" Rory asked suspiciously.

Rose closed her eyes, and then offered Rory a small quirk of the lips that was almost a smile. "Be who I used to be."

* * *

She promised Rory. She would try. She was Rose Tyler, defender of earth, for crying out loud. She could do this.

If only smiling wasn't so difficult.

Rose found the Doctor in his bedroom. She slipped in, gliding silently over to sit on the edge of the bed, next to him. He looked up from fiddling with some sort of technology, offering her a small smile.

"Rose?"

Rose closed her eyes. She couldn't look at him, when she did this. "When you left me on the beach, the second time, the other you . . . he died." She pulled out the ring he had given her from around the chain on her neck.

She could practically feel him gaping. Rose shook her head, her laugh watery. "Funny, I hardly knew him. But you had just convinced me that he was you, that I was going to have a full life, and to lose you, right there . . ."

Rose allowed herself one sob, and then choked down the rest. The Doctor's voice was soft. "Rose . . ."

"Let me finish. I have to get this out," Rose interrupted. She took a deep, shuddering breath. "He said the TARDIS had been keeping him alive, but a human wasn't supposed to have a Time Lord's mind."

The Doctor breathed, "Donna."

Rose shot him a sharp glance. "Did she die?"

The Doctor quickly shook his head, but the guilt didn't disappear from his face. "She . . . I had to erase her memory."

Rose nodded in acceptance. She continued, her voice catching. "I . . . didn't do so well, after that. Kind of, well, lost myself. Got depressed, you know?" Rose turned over her wrist, and the Doctor caught sight of the scars there.

"Rose," he whispered, but Rose continued her story.

"It was a long time, until I found Jack. I got him to get me a vortex manipulator. He decided to come with me, once the cracks allowed me to get to our universe." There was a long pause.

Finally, the Doctor nodded. "Thank you for telling me this, Rose."

Rose twitched her shoulders in a semblance of a shrug. "I figured someone should know."

The Doctor's hand drifted over to Rose's. "I missed you. Leaving you . . . it was the hardest thing I've ever done. I just wanted you to be happy. And later, before my regeneration, I even . . ." His pause was longer, and Rose took the time to study his new face. There's something sad about the way his eyes curved, and the set of his brows. Rose still wasn't sure she'd seen him really smile.

"Doctor?" she prompted.

"New Year's. 2005. I bet you're going to have a really great year."

Rose cast her mind back to that distant holiday. Her eyes burned with tears. "That was you?"

"I had to see you, one last time, before I died."

"Doctor," Rose murmured. Her hand squeezed his convulsively. It still felt so right.

"Promise me, Rose, that you won't . . ." the Doctor ghosted his fingers over her scars.

"I never . . ." Rose swallowed. "I could never do it. Not completely. As angry as I was, I still couldn't do it, because of you."

The Doctor leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. "I'm glad."

"Yeah, me too." Rose allowed herself to be gathered into a hug. She didn't deserve a second chance. But maybe she was getting one anyway.

* * *

Amy was startled to find Rose opening up more and more as the days went on. She had written off the girl at first as some bad-tempered, time-traveling hussy, but the girl was all right.

Ruefully, Amy found herself remembering an elementary school teacher telling her sternly that one shouldn't judge by first impressions

Still, she could see as plain as day that Rose was hiding some dark secrets. But at least she was trying to be friendlier.

"Can I talk to you?"

Amy nodded, and Rose gestured down the hall. Amy followed, curious to see where she was leading her.

"What's up?" she asked.

They were in the library when Rose turned, facing her with eyes that were far too serious and sad.

"I want you to be completely honest. You and Rory are the Doctor's companions now. Do you want me to leave?"

"I . . ." Amy hesitated. "That's not . . . I can't answer that."

Rose's smile was wry. "Yes, you really can. Long ago I was the Doctor's companion. But things happened, and now you are."

"It's not like it's a set job," Amy floundered uncomfortably.

"In a way, it is," Rose said, tilting her head in consideration. "You help him save people, you keep him from going too far . . . it is a job. And it's a life. So I'll ask it again. Do you want me to leave?"

Amy ran a hand across her face. "I don't know. I mean, at first you got on my nerves, but lately you've been nicer. No offense."

"None taken," Rose responded drily. "But think about it, all right? Because I've finally figured out where the Doctor hid my Vortex Manipulator. Talk it over with Rory. I promise, I won't mind if you want me to go. In your situation, I probably would."

"Mmm," Amy hummed, skillfully avoiding a reply to that.

"What are you two up to?" the Doctor poked his head into the room.

Rose's smile was blinding, and as Amy watched, the Doctor's lips tilted upwards, almost as a reflection of it.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Rose teased.

"Rose," Amy interjected. The blonde turned to her again, eyebrow tilted upward. "The answer is no. Don't."

"Really?" Rose checked.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Amy chanced a glance at the Doctor, who was looking confused and lost. "You help him."

Rose smiled, a slow and sure smile that lit up her face. "Thank you, Amy."

She grinned. "Any time."

* * *

Rose took a deep breath. A new start. This was it.

Rory grimaced. "So, we have no idea where we are?"

"It's more fun that way," Amy laughed, and pulled Rory out of the TARDIS doors.

The Doctor crept up beside her, and Rose's hand twitched involuntarily. The ring that the metacrisis had given her was on her finger.

"Dame Rose Tyler of the Powell Estate," he announced, "will you join me on this adventure."

Rose bit her lip, but couldn't stop the grin. "It would be my honor, Sir Doctor."

He grabbed her hand. "Run."

* * *

**Finis**

* * *

**A/N:** Happy Easter! It's finally done!

You guys wanna know a secret? I was _this_ close to killing Rose in the end. Not joking. When I first started writing this, I figured that would be the only way to end it with Rose as messed up as she was. And then I got too close to fixing Rose up and making her happy again . . . and then we get this stupid sappy ending. Ugh. I suppose I'm a closet romantic. Anyway, I'll get around to writing some sort of depressing fic soon. Mwahaha. :P

Hope everyone enjoyed the short ride! Thank you so much for the lovely reviews.


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